PODCAST

State of Sustainability

Saif Hameed

Saif Hameed (CEO of Altruistiq) chats with sustainability leaders and industry pioneers.

business management

All Episodes

35:08

Beyond Recycling: Why Fixing Waste Requires...

State of Sustainability ·

2026/01/22

In this episode, Saif Hameed is joined by Shannon Bouton, CEO of Delterra, for a wide-ranging conversation about waste, climate and the systems that govern how materials move through our economy. Speaking from snowy Michigan, Shannon brings a global perspective shaped by years of hands-on work designing waste management systems across Southeast Asia, Latin America, and increasingly, the United States. The discussion explores the often-overlooked connection between waste and climate change, pa...

29:20

The 2026 Sustainability Shakeout: A look at what the...

State of Sustainability ·

2026/01/08

On the latest episode of the State of Sustainability, host Saif Hameed discusses the "wholesale functional shift" and organisational overhaul that defined 2025, where sustainability teams were frequently moved under procurement or legal departments to address supply chain resilience and compliance. Saif also highlights a "general demotion" of the Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO), noting that many of these roles have transitioned from reporting directly to the CEO to sitting deeper within th...

34:09

The Sustainability Sugar Pill: How Buffy Went...

State of Sustainability ·

2025/12/22

The State of Sustainability Podcast is where we unpack the topics and trends of corporate sustainability, hosted by Saif Hameed, Founder and CEO of Altruistiq. This time Saif speaks with Buffy CEO Leo Wang about how the bedding brand successfully built a sustainable product while pivoting its market message away from environmentalism toward consumer concerns about safety, comfort, and performance.Key Takeaways:• Initial Intent vs. Market Reality: Buffy began around 2017/2018 with the idea that the

24:52

Extended Producer Responsibility: Circular...

State of Sustainability ·

2025/12/11

The State of Sustainability Podcast is where we unpack the topics and trends of corporate sustainability, hosted by Saif Hameed, Founder and CEO of Altruistiq. This time, Saif takes the mic solo to dive into a topic that - according to former Starbucks CSO Michael Kobori - is about to become everyone’s priority: Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes. In this episode, Saif unpacks his "hot takes" on EPR that you won't find in standard reports. He explores: • The rise of EPR: How a c...

38:21

Unpacking Bill Gates's controversial COP 30 memo with...

State of Sustainability ·

2025/11/27

Welcome to another episode of the State of Sustainability. In this episode, host Saif Hameed takes a deep dive into Bill Gates‘s controversial COP 30 memo. Saif is joined by Faisal Tajdar, head of projects at Acasus. Acasus is an impact focus consultancy that partners with governments around the world on public sector reform. Across his time at Acasus, the Gates foundation and Mackenzie, Faisal has been involved in healthcare reform work in several countries and multiple continents.&nbs...

15:45

Breaking Up with ESG: Why It’s Time to Rethink the...

State of Sustainability ·

2025/11/13

The State of Sustainability Podcast is where we unpack the topics and trends of corporate sustainability, hosted by Saif Hameed, Founder and CEO of Altruistiq. This time, Saif takes the mic solo for another short-form content byte, and he’s tackling one of his long-standing bugbears: ESG. Or more specifically, why it’s the end of ESG as we know it (and why that might not be a bad thing). In this episode, Saif unpacks why the term “ESG” has always bothered him - and why it might be time to fin...

15:16

From SECR to SRS: The UK’s Sustainability Shift

State of Sustainability ·

2025/10/30

The State of Sustainability Podcast is where we unpack the topics and trends of corporate sustainability, hosted by Saif Hameed, Founder and CEO of Altruistiq. This time, Saif takes the mic solo for a special short-form episode - part of a new series of “content bytes”, where he shares quick insights on what’s new and topical in the sustainability space. In this episode, Saif tackles one of the drier – but essential – topics shaping the future of corporate sustainability: regulation. Speci...

33:06

What AI will and won’t do for your sustainability...

State of Sustainability ·

2025/10/16

The State of Sustainability Podcast is where we unpack the topics and trends of corporate sustainability, hosted by Saif Hameed, Founder and CEO of Altruistiq. This time, Saif is joined by David Sykes. David is an independent consultant on Data Science and AI, and was formerly Global Head of Data Science, Analytics and Engineering at Octopus Energy Group, where he spent the better part of a decade building Octopus’s data and AI capabilities. His experience offers a unique perspective on how A...

35:22

Is Sustainability rising or falling? Lessons from...

State of Sustainability ·

2025/09/18

"What we're going to see over the next probably 20 to 30 years is a profound value shift but it's not necessarily going to come where we most expect it. So Europe for example, I think is being left behind. It's doing a lot of regulation and all the rest of it but in a sense that's old order approach to the sustainability agenda." The State of Sustainability podcast is where we unpack the topics and trends of corporate sustainability with me Saif Hameed, founder and CEO of Altruistiq. Th...

0:49

The State of Sustainability podcast is back!

State of Sustainability ·

2025/09/16

We've spent the last few months working on improvements to the podcast, lining up a fantastic selection of guests to help us discuss a wide range of topics in the sustainability space.

25:11

SoS #47: Sustainability Layoffs & Restructures:...

State of Sustainability ·

2025/05/08

We've been hearing whispers about this trend for months, and now it's time to address it head-on: sustainability teams across major corporations are being restructured, downsized, or absorbed into other departments. In this episode, we dive into this critical shift that's affecting sustainability professionals worldwide. We cover:The dramatic shift from the sustainability hiring boom of 2-3 years ago to today's restructuring waveWhich sustainability roles are most vulnerable (hint: it's not who you

24:55

SoS #46: A Farmer's Truth About Sustainable Agriculture

State of Sustainability ·

2025/05/01

What does “sustainable agriculture” look like from a farmer’s perspective?Saif Hameed sits down with Adam Henkel, a 7th-generation farmer and 3rd-generation conservationist from Illinois. They break down:The true meaning of sustainability on the farmBridging the farmer-corporate gapEasy wins vs real challenges in practiceHow corporations and sustainability professionals can help

36:12

SoS #46: Has the Sustainability Bubble Burst?

State of Sustainability ·

2025/04/24

In short… yes. But is that really a bad thing?In this week’s episode, we ask whether the hype around sustainability is deflating, and what that means for progress.We dive into the latest headlines:Is the UK on the brink of scaling back its climate ambitions?Are we stuck in a loop of ever-rising energy demand?What's next for sustainability-linked executive pay?PLUS: A climate tech reality check. Is climate tech entering its "trough of disillusionment"? Saif unpacks why corporate budgets are

32:13

SoS #45: Trump’s Tariffs: Derailing Climate Progress?

State of Sustainability ·

2025/04/17

This week’s headlines:Trump’s Tariff’s and the climate fall outSoaring commodity prices and what to doJust Stop Oil to disband - victory or retreat?PLUS: Our how-to segment tackles a question many of you have asked: how to run a board meeting that secures sustainability buy in.Got a question for the next ‘How-To’ segment? Join and drop us a message in the State of Sustainability Community: https://altruistiq.com/state-of-sustainability/community

33:23

SoS #43: Building the World’s Largest Corporate Coral...

State of Sustainability ·

2025/04/10

What does it take to build a successful coral reef restoration program? In this episode, Saif Hameed dives into SHEBA®’s groundbreaking coral restoration program with Mars’ Chief Marine Scientist Prof. David Smith and SHEBA®’s Global VP of Marketing Mindy Barry. Points covered:Business + Science = Impact: How applying process engineering to conservation created unprecedented restoration scaleProject set up: Why success starts with understanding local needs, empowering communities, and tailoring

26:41

SoS #42: Plastic: The Most Sustainable Packaging?

State of Sustainability ·

2025/04/03

Plastic: The Most Sustainable Packaging?In the high-stakes world of sustainable packaging, incremental change isn't enough. Join Saif Hameed and Melissa Brice, Senior Sustainability Manager at Amcor, a global leader in sustainable packaging as they unpack the complex landscape of plastic decarbonisation.Key Insights:The true carbon impact of plastic vs. other packaging materialsThe hidden trade-offs between recyclability, emissions, and functionalityWhy recycling systems struggle and how EPR can

39:44

SoS #41: How to Master EUDR

State of Sustainability ·

2025/03/20

In today’s episode we tackle two critical market signals:The SEC's dramatic climate disclosure rollback and what it means for corporate transparencyThe Net Zero Banking Alliance's retreat from 1.5°C commitments and if financial institutions are losing their climate ambitionThen we break down the EU Deforestation Regulation essentials:Who's affected and compliance timelinesGeolocation data requirements and verification challengesImplementation strategies across different commodity sectorsNavigating

26:37

SoS #40: Supplier Engagement: Lessons from the Front...

State of Sustainability ·

2025/03/13

Tired of "supply chain engagement" programs that generate more surveys than carbon reductions?In our latest episode, Saif Hameed and Beth Jones (Supply Chain Decarbonisation Lead, Altruistiq) cut through the hype to outline a framework for real impact:Align before action: Bridge internal agendas and make procurement central—they understand the supplier relationships.Evolve data, don't overhaul: Progress from compliance surveys to product carbon footprints - without specific PCF components, you're

33:57

SoS#39: Are Generic Emission Factors Over?

State of Sustainability ·

2025/02/27

Emission Factors (EFs), as we know them, are over. Bold statement? Maybe. True? Absolutely (in our opinion). In this episode, we break down why traditional emission factors are rapidly being replaced by Product Carbon Footprints (PCFs) and what this shift means for businesses.The limitations of traditional emission factorsWhy PCFs provide more accurate, supplier-specific dataWhere businesses need to focus their efforts as PCFs scale upKey considerations when transitioning from EFs to PCFs

31:07

SoS#38: Bridging Finance and Sustainability:...

State of Sustainability ·

2025/02/20

In this episode, Saif Hameed and Kathryn McLeod, Head of ESG Reporting at The HEINEKEN Company, discuss practical approaches for transforming sustainability commitments into funded realities. They explore how to:Improve finance - sustainability collaboration:Strategic governance frameworks that drive effective reporting and collaborationBattle-tested approaches for building credibility with finance teamsPractical tools for embedding sustainability expertise in finance operationsMaster sustainable

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State of Sustainability

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